Fuse switch



March 1935. L. P. BOLL ET m". 93,083

FUSE SWITCH Filed Aug. 9, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I F" -A 5 g I I 5 1/ '.37 \51 a A i 4 9 t i 3 FIG. 2. s

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March. 5; 1935. y P, BOLL E M 1,993,083

- FUSE SWITCH Filed Aug. 9, 1934 s Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 5, 1935 PATENT FFICE FUSE SWITCH Lester Pierce Boll, University (Zity, and Theodore Birkenmaier, St. Louis, Mo., assignors to W. N. Matthews Corporation; St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application August 9, 1934,'Serial No. 739,036

9 Claims.

This invention relates to fuse switches, and

' l with regard to certain more specific features, to

as successive fuses blow; the provision of an attachment of the class described which will permit the use of a given fuse switch singly or in repeater banks of two or more; the provision of an attachment of the class described which permits of re-fusing a blown fuse switch and reclosing of the same without interrupting the circuit but at the same time taking the previously inserted fuse out of circuit; the provision of apparatus of the class described in which delayed reclosure is effected; and the provision of apparatus of this class which is simple in form, light in weight and low in cost. Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated one of various possible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation;

Fig. 2 is a left side elevation of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but on a reduced scale, showing one fuse switch blown and another connected in circuit.

Fig. 4 is a left side elevation of Fig. 3; and,

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing an intermediate position in manually closing a refused cartridge.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Reclosing or repeater fuse switches per se have been heretofore constructed but they have been, in the main, of forms which are complicated and subject to little flexibility in application. Furthermore, they necessitated the purchase of an expensive specialty.

The present invention permits the use of known fuse switches in multiple as reclosure switches without the necessity of the user purchasing complicated apparatus. with the present invention, a given fuse switch may be used either as a single, non-reclosing switch, or be used in combination with other like switches in a reclosing combination. Furthermore, as many reclosures as may be desired may be eilected without increasing complications, and merely by applying as many of applicants attachments as there are desired reclosure switches.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, 10 there is shown at numeral 1 a support for clamps 3 which hold fuse switches A and B. The fuse switches A and B, per se, are of known types and comprise insulators 5 supporting upper and lower brackets 'I and 9 respectively. Connected 15 to the upper brackets 'Z is a line wire 11 forming one side of a circuit. Connected to the lower bracket 9 of the left-hand switch A is a wire 13 leading to the other side of the circuit of which the wire 11 is a part. 20

Reaching from each upper bracket '1 is a line terminal spring assembly pivoted at 17 and normally held against a stop 19 by means of a downwardly pulling tension spring 21. An oflset or recessed portion 23 of the spring assembly 15 is adapted to receive lateral gudgeons 25 of a terminal engaging element 27 of a fuse cartridge 29. Each cartridge 29 also has a lower terminal engaging element 31 pivoted at 33 to a ring 35 fastened to the cartridge 29. A fuse link 37 normally holds the pivoted terminal 31 rigidlyagainst the cartridge 29 and also serves to effect an electrical connection between said terminal engaging elements 27 and 31. This rigidly spaces gudgeons 25 and 39, the latter being on said hinged element 31. The gudgeons 39 are applicable to recesses 41 in extensions from said lower bracket 9. The gudgeons 39 are removable from the recesses 41 for effecting refusing of the cartridge 29,. When the fuse 37 blows, rotation of terminal 31 takes place at 33 and the cartridge descends under pressure from the spring assembly 15. A relative rotation also is permitted on gudgeons 39 as the gudgeons 25 fall clear of the recesses 23. The cartridge 29 thereafter rotates clockwise from the position shown in Fig. 1, to the depending position shown in Figures 3 and 4. It is then removable from the bracket for refusing and is then returned to the bracket to be again swung up into place.

The attachment per se consists of a bracket 43 which is adapted to be bolted to anyone of said lower brackets 9 of the fuse switches A or B, or any other similar ones. This bracket holds a gudgeon 45 which carries an insulator 4'7. 0n the having spaced fingers 59 between which the fuse cartridge 29 is adapted to oscillate with lost motion. The fingers also permit of lateral movement of the cartridge so that the gudgeons 39 may be placed opposite the recesses 41 for application thereto andremove therefrom.

Rotatably mounted on the same pin 45 is a second spider 61 having a contact f ace- 63 adapted to frictionally engage with the spring contact 51 to close a circuit to be described. The spiders 57 and 61 are resiliently joined for counterclockwise rotation (Fig. 2) by means of a coil spring'65 (Fig. 1). Dogs 67 and 69 (Fig. 1) effect a drive from spider 57 to spider 61 upon clockwise rotation (Fig. 2)

The operation of the device is as follows, assuming, for example, the use of two fuse switches A and B and that, as in Fig. 1, said two fuseswitches A and B are in closed position with fuse links applied:

The spider 57 has been forced counterclockwise (Fig. 2) by engagement between the cartridge 29 and the upper finger 59. The spider 57 through the spring 65, has driven the spider 61 counterclockwise (Fig. 2), downwardly -(Fig. 1), so as to open contacts 51, 63. Current is passing from the line 11, through the line terminal spring 15, fuse 37 of cartridge 29 of switch A, and to the line 13. Switch B is also closed but no current can reach the line 13 through it, because contacts 51 and 63 are open.

Assuming that an overload occurs and that the fuse in the fuse switch A blows, collapse takes place between the line terminal 31 and the car-.

tridge 29, whereupon the cartridge rotates clockwise (Fig. 2) to the position shown in Figures 3 and 4. First, the rotation is free, consuming a predetermined time. Then a finger 4 forming an extension from the cartridge strikes the lower finger 59 ofthe spider 57. The cartridge drives the spider 57 clockwise, thereby causing the dog 6'1 on the spider 57 to engage the dog 69 on the spider 61 and force the spider 61 also to rotate clockwise so that its contact 63 comes into engagement with the contact 51 (clockwise, Figures 2 and 4). This closure recloses the circuit between the lines 11 and 13 thro ugh the fuse switch B, wire 55, bracket 49, contacts 517 63, spider 61, pin 45', bracket 43 and bracket 9. .The spacing between fingers 59 and forward disposition of finger 4 determine the time delay for the reclosure. The egree of this is determined so that whatever caused the trouble in the circuit may have time to clear before automatic reclosure is effected.

Next, assuming that a lineman discovers by the downwardly hanging position of the blown cartridge, that it has been blown, he removes said cartridge, refuses it and reapplies its gudgeons 39 to the recesses 41. This application may be made because the cartridge may he slipped in sidewardly between the fingers 59 and then in finger 59 and also to rotate the spider 57. The spider 57 at this time moves independently of the spider 61 which is frictionally held in position between the contacts 51 and 63, the spring 65 taking up the lost motion. It will be understood that detent means may supplement or replace the frictional means.

However, as the position of Fig. 5 is reached, the upper terminal engaging element 27 of the cartridge contacts with the outer end of the line terminal spring 15, thereby reclosing the circuit through the replaced fuse in the fuse switchA. By this time the spring 65 has been wound to a tension such that the friction between the contacts 51 and 63 is overcome, thereby driving the spider 61 to the downward position shown in Fig. 1. Further pushing up of the cartridge insures the separating action at contacts 51, 63, together with the placement of the gudgeons 25 in the loop 23. The preclosure between gudgeons 25 and the bracket 15 avoids drawing any are at contacts 51 and 63 or interrupting service. The reaction of the line terminal spring 15 holds the cartridge in place, as long as there is no collapse of the lower terminal engaging element 31 at the lower center 33. There is no such collapse because of the holding function of the new fuse link 37.

It will be understood that more than two fuse switches may be used (more than one attachment) and in such case more than one fuse link may blow before the operations are exhausted. For instance, if another fuse were used next to the fuse switch B, and switch B provided with an attachment of the class above described, a replacement of the fuse cartridge in switch A would not be necessary until switch B had also blown.

It is to be understood that the fuse switches may be placed across any type of circuit and that their numbers may be multiplied indefinitely by serially adding more of the described attachment.

It will be seen that the present invention has the advantage of providing for a wide variation in the number of reclosures possible without increasing the expense of equipment to any substantial degree. All the apparatus that need be carried in stock is a number of fuse switches such as A and B and a number of the described attachments. From these may be made up either nonrepeating fuse switches or repeater, reclosure types having any number of reclosures. Furthermore, the expense of the attachment is quite nominal and its operation is quite simple and dependable.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.-

As many changes could be made in carrying out the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a fuse switch comprising line terminals, a cartridge having terminal engaging elements.

one of which is adapted to be applied to and rotated in one line terminal and the other of which contacts with the other line terminal upon rotation of the cartridge, an attachment adapted to be fastened to the fuse switch comprising a support, an insulator on the support, a contact member-on the" insulator and insulated thereby from said support, said contact member being adapted to be electrically joined with a line terminal of a second fuse switch, means movable on the support and having a lost-motion engagement with said fuse cartridge, whereby when the cartridge rotates upon blowing, said movable means is, after a predetermined time, moved into engagement with said contact to close the circuit.

2. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a fuse switch comprising line terminals, a cartridge adapted to be rotated about one line terminal and having terminal engaging elements for both terminals, an attachment adapted to" be fastened to the fuse switch comprising a support, an insulator on the support, a contact membar on the insulator and insulated thereby from said support, said contact member being adapted to be electrically joined with a-line terminal of a second fuse switch, means movable on the support and having a lost-motion engagement with said fuse cartridge, whereby when the cartridge rotates upon blowing, said movable means is, after a predetermined time, moved into engagement with said contact to close the circuit through said second fuse switch, and means whereby a newly fused cartridge may be reapplied to the blown fuse switch and said means engageable with the cartridge, moved to re-open the electrical connection with the second fuse switch.

3. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a fuse switch comprising line terminals,

a cartridge adapted to be applied to and rotated on one line terminal and having terminal engaging elements for both'terminals, an attachment adapted to be fastened to the fuse switch comprising a support, an insulator on the support, a contact member on the insulator and insulated thereby from said support, said contact member being adapted to be electrically joined with a line terminal of a second fuse switch, means movable on the support and having a lost-motion engagement with said fuse cartridge, whereby when the cartridge rotates upon blowing, said movable means is, after a predetermined time, moved 'into engagement with said contact to close the circuit through said second fuse switch, means whereby a newly fused cartridge may be reapplied to the blown fuse switch and said means engageable with the cartridge moved to re-open the electrical connection with the second fuse switch,

a and means whereby said re-opening is delayed until the first fuse switch is closed across the line.

4. An attachment for fuse switches having cartridges movable upon blowing, comprising a support, a driving member thereon adapted to have a lost-motion engagement with the movable cartridge, a driven contact on the attachment, a stationary contact adapted to be engaged by the driven contact, means for electrically connecting the stationary contact with a line terminal of a second fuse switch, and means connecting the driving and driven members adapted to efl'ect lag in returnof the driven member, whereby blowing of the cartridge to which the attachment is fastened causes the closure of said contacts after a predetermined time and upon reclosing of said cartridge eflects a delayed opening of said contacts.

5. An attachment for fuse switches comprising a support, a driving member thereon adapted to have a lost-motion engagement with a removable cartridge of the switch to which the attachment is fastened, a driven contact on the attachcartridge into circuit closing position before said contacts open. a

6. In apparatus of the class described, a support, an insulator on said support, a rotatable contact on said support, a fixed contact on said insulator, and rotatable drivingrneans on said support adapted to engage. said rotatable contact and positively drive the same into engagement with said fixed contact, and spring driving means between said driving means and the roof the contacts when the direction of motion of driving means is reversed until a predetermined reverse movement has beeri effected.

7. In apparatus of the class described, a support, an insulator on said support, a rotatable contact on said support, a fixed contact on said insulator, and rotatable driving means on said support adapted to positively engage said rotatable contact and drive the same into engagement with said fixed contact, and resilient driving means between said driving means'and the rotatable contact adapted to delay the separation of the contacts when direction of motion of the driving means is reversed until a predetermined reverse movement has been effected after which the energy stored in the resilient means opens said contacts.

8. In apparatus of the class described, a suptatable contact adapted to delay the separation port, an insulator on said support, a rotatable contact on said support, a fixed contact on said insulator, and rotatable driving means on said support adapted to engage said rotatable contact and positively drive the same into engagement with said fixed contact, spring driving means between said driving means and the rotatable contact adapted. to delay the separation of the contacts when the direction of motion of the driving means is reversed, until a predetermined reverse movement has been effected, and lost-motion means associated with said'driving means adapted to be engaged by a fuse cartridge of a fuse switch.

9. In apparatus of the class described, a support, an insulator on said support, a rotatable contact on said support, a fixed contact on said insulator, and rotatable driving means on said support adapted to engage said rotatable contact and positively drive the same into engagement with said fixed contact, spring driving means between said driving means and the rotatable contact adapted to delay the separation of the contacts when the direction of motion of the driving means is reversed, until a predetermined reverse movement has been effected, and lost-motion means associated with said driving means adapted to be engaged by a fuse cartridge of a fuse switch and including means whereby said car- 

